Delivery table for flatwork ironers



F. J. LEIDECKER Y DELIVERY TABLE FOR FLATWORK 'IRONERS Filed July 12, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11 1926. Y v1,584,458

, F. J. LEIDECKER DELIVERY TABLE FOR FLATwoRK IRoNERs Filed July 12, 1919 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J'. LEIDECKER, OIEY ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOKTHE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, F CINCINNATI, 0IIIO,.A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

DELIVERY TABLE ron FLATWORK IRONEBS.

Application led July 12, 1919. Serial No. 310,420. y l.

This invention relates to delivery `tables for flatI work ironers.

4One common type of flat work ironer includes a traveling apron or aprons for moving the work along the ironing chest. Said aprons travel over idle rolls on pivoted brackets at one end of the machine, said brackets being pivoted to enable the idle rolls to be dropped down when the machine is stopped to thereby release the tension on the aprons and remove them from contact with the heated chest to prevent scorch-y ing or burning them. The pivoted brackets are located at the delivery end of the ma chine just above a delivery table upon which the nished work is discharged b v the aprons. Since the pivoted brackets and rolls carried thereby are large and heavy it has frequently happened that said brackets are dropped without taking away the delivery table so that the latter is crushed or broken by the descending bracketJ frame.

The object of the present invention is to provide an ironing machine including the aforesaid chest, aprons and swinging brackets cooperatively related to a delivery table of special form which need not be removed when the aprons are released butI which has a top or work receiving portion which lies normally in the horizontal or work receiving position and itself yields or moves to a new position when engaged by the descending bracketl frame, whereby there is no danger of inadvertently injuring the table by release of the aprons with the table in its customary place, and which table top, after having moved to the safe position mentioned, automatically returns to the normal or work receiving position when the bracket frame of the ironing machine is restored to working position.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a special form of table for the purpose mentioned which is sufficiently strong and sturdy for its required use and which is provided with a hinged top capable of turning movement on the table supports to swing out of its normal position when engaged by the descending bracket frame.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of the delivery end of a fiat work ironer and delivery table therefor; Fig. 2 is a detail end view, on a larger scale, of the delivery table; and F ig. 3 is a front view of said table.

Ilhc invention may be utilized with any form of ironing machine embodying the hinged bracket frame before referred to. For purposes of illustration the drawings show an ironing machine including a suitable fra-me 1 on which is mounted a stationary hollow ironing chest 2 heated in any suitable manner, such as b steam supplied. to its inner chamber 3. raid chest has a lower plane surface 4 and its upper surface has concave ironing portions 5 to cooperate with the usual hollow heated padded rotatable ironing rolls or drums 6, which rolls are located one above each of the concavities 5. The ironing rolls at their ends are provided with shaft portions 7 vertically slidable in guides in the stationary frame 1, and above saidI shaft ends are pressure .springs 8 in pockets in a frame 9. By moving the frame 9 downwardly the hollow drums are applied with yielding pressure to the ironing chest.

The operating means forregulating the pressure of the rolls comprises a longitudinal shaft 1() provided at each end of the machine with a worm 11 driving a. worm gear 12 on a cross shaft 13. There are two such cross shafts, one at each end of the machine, one only of which is shown, and each of said shafts at its opposite ends is provided with an eccentric 14 connected to a strap or eye on one end of a link 15 connected to the frame 9. Rotation yof fthe eccentrics obviously produces vertical motion to frame 9. 16 indicates' one of the bracket frame members before referred to, which is hinged at 17 on a horizontal axis to the main frame 1, and which is provided witha roll 18 lying above acam 19 vcarried by the shaft 13. Roll 18 is at one side of the pivot 17 so that rotation of shaft 13 turns the cam 19 and produces or permits swinging movement of the bracket frame about the pivot 17 .i

Bracket frame 16 carries two idle rollers 20, 21, over each of which travels an endless apron or belt. The upper portion of one apron, marked 22, travels along the chest ironing surface 4, from left to right in Fig. 1, while -it-s lower portion travels 'from right to left and is guided by idle rollers 23.

The upper portion of the other apron,

marked 24, travels from right to left in contact with apron 22, f while its lower portion travels from left to right over idle rollers 25. To take upthe slack in the aprons the rollers 20, 21 are preferably carried in bearing members 26 adjustable in the bracket frame 16 by the usual screws 27.

The delivery table is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 'and in Iiig. l. is shown in its organized relation to the ironing machine. It comprises a suitable base or frame 3() including end members 31 connected b longitudinal ties or braces 32. The table top 33 is a wide flat member which. may bo provided along one edge, speciiically thaty edge nea-rest to the ironing machine, with an inclined guard strip 34 to prevent the finished work from falling oli' from the table in the space between the table and ironing machine, although this is not essential. l The table top is secured `to -crossbars 34 which extend lengthwise ofthe ironing machine and lie directly above the end frame members 31- Said bars are also hinged to the 'end frame members, the hinged leaves 35 being attachedone to an end frame member and the other to a cross bar 34a, with the hinged pintles 36 loca-ted in the angle therebetween. Consequently the table top can turn about a transverse horizontal axis through the hinge pintles from the normal position,V

shown in full lines, Fig. 2, tothe safety l position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. In

the normal position the table top is preferably additionally supported by suitable brackets 37 attached-to the end frame members and extending outwardly beneath the front portion of the table top. As shown in Figs. land 2, that portion of the table top from the hinged axis to its front edge, where the operator stands, is wider than that portion extending from the hinge axis to the upwardly 'inclined rear table edge, as a result of which the table top, by gravity, normally lies in the position. shown in full lines. However, it is freely tiltable by the descending'braekets to the dotted line position, Fig. 2, and when' the brackets are restored to working position the table top by gravity, returns to the horizontal work receiving position.

The delivery tableis preferably located in a definite rel ati on wi th regard to the mechanism of the ironing machine, its relation being such that it lies beneath the delivery portion of the aprony 24. This relation may be maintained by making the frame of the delivery table a part of the fixed frame of the ironing machine. For example, in the form shown the table frame is made of wood and its end members are rigidly connected by extensions38 to the legs ot' the ironing machine. However, the connection between the delivery table and ironingr machine frame need not'be permanent. Either the extensions 38 can be removable, or if the delivery table is heavy enough to maintain its position in ordinary use, the solid connection between the delivery table and ironing machine can be wholly omitted. Nevertheless, it is unnecessary to move the delivery table away from the' ironing machine except pos sibly for purposes of repair or adjustment, or when some special condition arises.

With this arrangement the ironing machine is operatedVIV in the ordinary manner and ivhen said machine is stopped the bracket .frame 16 is dropped in the usual manner vto remove the tension from the aprons yand avoid scorching thereof. The descending bracket'frame engages the table top and immediately swings it to the safety position shown in dotted lines, so that said top isnot injured or broken.

What I claim is Incom'bination, an ironing machine including a stationary frame, ironing members thereon, a delivering apron, a bracket supporting the same and movable to release position for releasing the tension of said apron, and a delivery table at one end of said machine having a top freely movable to safe position by said bracket When the latter is moved to release position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK J. LEIDEOKER, 

